UKRAINE: Donetsk residents dismiss Ukrainian Presidential election saying the country will not stay united

Record ID: 695331

  • Title: UKRAINE: Donetsk residents dismiss Ukrainian Presidential election saying the country will not stay united
  • Date: 25th May 2014
  • Summary: DONETSK, UKRAINE (MAY 25, 2014) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION BUILDING WITH BARRICADES IN FRONT VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN FRONT OF BARRICADES MADE OF TYRES (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PAVEL, IT SPECIALIST, SAYING: "The situation in Ukraine will not change regardless of who the president is in Kiev." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) YURI MIKHEEV, FORMER MILITARY AND NOW SECURITY ADVISER, SAYING: "Poroshenko's task is to preserve Ukraine as a united state, but it will not happen. We have different mentality in the west and in the east, we have our own way, the west has its way. In the east we are closer to Russia, they are closer to Europe." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) YEKATERINA KHRIPKOVA, DONETSK RESIDENT, SAYING: "Probably, the problem with the east will not be solved, probably they have already realised that their territory has already shrunk." (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) PAVEL, DONETSK RESIDENT, SAYING: "He is not our president , we didn't vote for him, those in the west might have voted, but here we didn't. We didn't hold the election here as far as I know." VARIOUS OF BROKEN BALLOT BOXES WITH GARBAGE STUFFED IN THEM ON STREET IN FRONT OF ADMINISTRATION BUILDING VARIOUS VIEWS OF STREET
  • Embargoed: 9th June 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Ukraine
  • Country: Ukraine
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3X71B4CLQF179J3N71XCFDPJK
  • Story Text: Residents of the UKrainian Eastern city of Donetsk say the outcome of the presidential poll will not change relations between east and west and will not unite the country.
    Billionaire Petro Poroshenko claimed Ukraine's presidency on Sunday (May 25) after exit polls gave him an absolute majority in a first round of voting and, vowing to end a conflict with pro-Russian rebels, he pledged to align his country with Europe.
    But residents of eastern Ukrainian city of Donetsk think he will not succeed and west and east will head in different directions.
    "The situation in Ukraine will not change regardless of who the president is in Kiev," said Pavel, an IT specialist from Donetsk.
    "Poroshenko's task is to preserve Ukraine as a united state, but it will not happen. We have different mentality in the west and in the east, we have our own way, the west has its way. In the east we are closer to Russia, they are closer to Europe," said Yuri Mikheeve, a former servicemen.
    Yekaterina Khripkova from Donetsk thinks the east and the west will never reunite: "Probably, the problem with the east will not be solved, probably they have already realised that their territory has already shrunk."
    Pavel from Donetsk thinks the new president will not be able to change a status quo: "He is not our president , we didn't vote for him, those in the west might have voted, but here we didn't. We didn't hold the election here as far as I know."
    Exit polls gave Poroshenko, a confectionery magnate with long experience in government, more than 55 percent of the vote, well ahead of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko in second place with just over 12 percent. If confirmed by results on Monday, there will be no need for a runoff vote on June 15.
    Ukrainians, weary of six months of political turmoil, hope their new president will be able to pull their country of 45 million people back from the brink of bankruptcy, dismemberment and civil war that prevented voting in parts of the Russian-speaking east of the country.
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